September 2nd
by MuggleBeene
Summary: On September 1st, 2017 Albus Potter went to Hogwarts. Lily was upset, not liking the 1st. September 2nd started awfully, but things change in a way she never expected. A day late for the Teachers Lounge September 1st Challenge.


September 2nd, 2017

It was too quiet in the kitchen for Lily. Before she'd always complained about her brothers, especially James, but at this moment she missed him. If you would have asked her she would have never admitted it; well, maybe to Al, because he always listened to her. Mum would listen but then have to do something with the babies because she always had to do something with the babies. Dad said it would be better, that her little sister was talking more now, and that her littlest brother would do more than eat, poop and drool faster than she thought possible, but at that moment it was just…weird.

"Little quiet, eh?"

She looked up to see her father standing over her, with that look on his face he always got on September 2nd. Well, always starting with James' first year. "Yeah." She looked back to her breakfast and felt bad; Kreacher had always spoiled her somewhat, if she was honest, and he had made her a very nice breakfast but she just didn't feel like eating anything.

Harry sat down, accepted the coffee from Kreacher and shared a look with the old house elf. Both of them nodded and the elf walked out of the kitchen without a word. After a deep breath and a sip of the coffee he glanced at his oldest daughter from the sides of his eyes and sighed. Lily always took things hard, from the teasing her oldest brother gave on an continual basis, to the new fact that Al, her closest sibling, was now at Hogwarts. It was something that he and Esther had discussed leading up to September first, and as always his wife was right. He knew she would be, of course, but it didn't make it any easier to watch his daughter go through it.

"Lily, sweetie? Not feeling hungry?"

Looking up at her mum for a moment Lily shook her head and then returned to staring at her plate. "No." Seeing her mum just made it worse somehow. Al and James looked like her parents, dark hair, green eyes and blue eyes, and even baby Dahlia did as well. Jacob was too little to have hair yet, just this fuzz stuff that Auntie Hermione said was going to be just like her Dad's hair, but Auntie Hermione was boring. Uncle Ron was much better, and there were times she wished she was a Weasley so she could have that red hair and freckles like them and work at the Triple W shop. She was the oddball, the weird one, with her hair somewhat between blonde and red and wavy, not really curly, so it was always annoying. Now without Al there she would be the one that all the people talked to instead of the boys, saying they looked 'just like their father'.

"Mistress Lily has a package, she does." Kreacher moved up towards the table and sat a package a little bit larger than a plate next to Lily. "Open today, right there on top."

Lily's eyes narrowed. Who would be sending her a package? And Kreacher was right, there on top were very clear letters DO NOT OPEN BEFORE OR AFTER SEPTEMBER 2 2017. But that looked odd. "Mum? Why is the date wrong?"

Esther closed her dressing gown and scooted her chair over next to her daughter. "Remember what we talked about, differences in…"

"OH!" Lily's expression brightened. "It's from America!" Without waiting she stood up, ready to rip the packaging off, but from the moment her fingers touched the plain brown paper it began to change, the colour shifting from drab to a bright blue, with a pattern of tiny little unicorns all waving as if to say hello.

And then the flaps of the box opened and an envelope popped into the air, hovering around Lily. With an excited intake of breath she reached forward, took the envelope and looked on the front. It was her name, but a little hard to read because the letters were all spindly thin. "Dad?"

Harry shared a glance with his wife and took the envelope. "It says _Miss Lily Potter, Godric's Hollow, Big Sister._ I think it's hard to read because it's from your great-grandmother." He paused. "You probably don't remember meeting her do you?"

"No." Lily scrunched up her nose, trying to remember her great-grandmother. And then, looking into the box, she did remember something. "Those biscuits! The ones shaped like bowtruckles and nifflers! I remember those."

"Ah." Esther smiled. "Grandpa would be pleased. I think there's something more in the envelope, Lils."

Harry cleared his throat dramatically and then began to read.

 _Dearest Lily,_

 _I cannot believe that you are now the oldest at home! This is important, as you're the big sister now. Your little sister and little brother will be looking for you to show them how to do things. This is a very important job. Yes, they are both at Hogwarts now and I know you are feeling left behind. But you, my dear, you have something that they'll never have. You've felt it, haven't you? Been able to tell what others are thinking sometimes, known what someone will pick?_

 _Lily dear, you've inherited more than my hair color. Have your mother look in the bottom of the box. I've got a few things for you and some other surprises. The boys will have September 1st, sweetie, but we have September 2nd._

 _Love you and see you soon,_

 _Your Great-Grandma Queenie Kowalski_

By the time Harry had sat down the letter both his daughter and wife were looking in the box. Lily sat with a very ornate looking envelope with gold filigree while Esther held an international portkey ticket in her hand. "I guess we're getting a visit from your Gran, then? But what's Lily got?"

"I'm not going to go to Hogwarts, Mum, Dad." Lily beamed. "I'm going to Ilvermony!"

"Don't be ridiculous, you'll…" Harry paused and looked at his wife. "Hon?"

"That's an Ilvermony letter. But why so…" She paused, blinked a few times, and then nodded. "Harry, she hasn't opened the letter yet." Engulfing Lily in a hug she smiled. "I guess you get more than your hair from your Grandma, Lily."

Lily leaned into her mum and then opened her letter. "I love September 2nd."


End file.
